Before we start in our study today, a couple “house-keeping” items. Yesterday’s blog was about Ephesians 5, not Ephesians 4. Ahem. I needed more coffee or sleep yesterday. Thank you, in advance, for your patience.

Secondly, we will soon be coming to the end of our Ephesians study. Please comment below if there is a certain topic you would like to have us do next. Preparation for the study will begin soon.

Ephesians 5:15-17, “¹⁵ See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, ¹⁶ Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”

The beginning of these verses show us that they are building on all that Paul has taught to this point. Yesterday, we talked about how we are to do this consistently. These things should be part of who we are.

Because of all this, we are to walk circumspectly, in other words, carefully and diligently. Then, twice these verses refer to being fools or unwise. This would mean that we are walking without thought or by acting rashly as opposed to walking wisely, which would be thoughtfully, skillfully, with a plan. We are to walk with wisdom and understanding of what the will of the Lord is.

Notice that this warning is given in verses 15 and 17. It is very important. Why? We are to redeem the time as the days are evil. We are to use our time wisely for God’s glory.

These verses challenged my heart. Distraction is the theme of our time in history. Our smart phones bring distraction in easy reach any time of the day or night. Now, I am not against smart phones or technology. It can be used for good. However, I know in my life it is very easy to get distracted by it and have hours go by without realizing it. I believe this distraction is something that can make us walk unwisely, not planned or purposefully.

I believe time is precious and we must walk carefully in this area. In Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis talks of this as a stumbling block for Christians through the training of the head devil to the apprentice, “You can make him waste his time not only in conversation he enjoys with people whom he likes, but in conversations with those he cares nothing about on subjects that bore him. You can make him do nothing at all for long periods. You can keep him up late at night, not roistering, but staring at a dead fire in a cold room.” Of course, this was written long before smart phones were here. I think there are even more distractions now.

So, what does this mean for us? We are the home-bound, chronically ill, disabled. Are we using our time wisely or being distracted by technology? From experience, I know that our time can either seem too full with appointments and survival or can stretch out with nothing to fill it. I think the best thing to do is to walk wisely through it by planning and using it for God’s glory at either end of the spectrum. Let’s not walk foolishly and let ourselves be distracted by all the reels and social media.

How can we use our time? Bible study, great podcasts, encouraging others, prayer, and simply worshiping God. What work could God do if our army of home-bound and disabled began actively redeeming the time? It is something I have pondered often as I struggle with distraction in my own life as well.

We need to consistently be seeking God and seeking to walk in wisdom, walking worthy of our calling. Let’s redeem whatever time God gives us.